Cub Tracks lets it slide

Rut ro, Rastro... well, the zeitgeist is just full of Kris Bryant news, as usual, only this time it’s actual news as Bryant held a no-holds-barred presser. Of course it was covered on the front page by our peerless leader but we’ll have a little bit of the KB here, too, largely because that’s all there is.

(Cover your cornflakes)

And permit me a little rant — I think that subscribers should be spared egregious ad content — looking at you, newspaper websites. Your content isn’t that fabulous. If it was, you wouldn’t have to beg people to sub. Just sayin’. Also, the Daily Herald has gone full paywall (after three articles). I’m not even going to click any more. It’s not worth it to me to sub.

Ok, as you were. Let’s it the ground running. Here’s today’s episode of Cubs News and Notes, the only links column that really matters. As always, * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used here as sarcasm font.

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 3 takeaways from Cubs spring training, including Jason Kipnis being a fan of ‘Go Cubs Go’ now. It’s really exciting to be on this side. I’m going to enjoy it,” said Kipnis. Jordan Bastian addresses this.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Hendricks explains the Cubs’ transition to David Ross: ‘This is what needed to be done.’ “Leave it to The Professor to explain Joe Maddon’s laissez-faire philosophy and the shock therapy that David Ross wants to give the Cubs.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Jon Lester is determined to rebound from one of his roughest seasons of an otherwise dependable 14-year career: ‘I’ve been doubted before’. “Lester admits he’s had to rely more on sharpness and smarts due to a dip in velocity.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Kris Bryant sets the record straight on his desire to stay with the Cubs — ‘definitely no hard feelings’ — and the Astros’ sign-stealing apology — ‘what a disgrace’. “I love everybody here,” Bryant said. Gordon Wittenmyer is still at the Sun-Times, and he has thoughts. Jordan Bastian offers his take. Cam Ellis has words. Jesse Rogers chimes in. Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma add on {$}. SI is even on the case.
• Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago*): No one’s really sure what the Cubs’ offseason plan was – not even Bryant. “Well, we didn’t do much,” he said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Bryant displays new batting stance, aimed at countering high fastballs. “It’ll be a while before we can properly assess the benefits of this latest change, but if previous results are any indication, this could lead to some excellent results.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Can the Cubs afford to keep Bryant, Javier Baez and other core players? Bryant thinks so. “It’s just a matter of if they want to...” he said, in part.
• Cubs birthdays: Carl Lundgren, Ed Schorr, Ray Harrell, Don Eaddy, Don Landrum, Bobby Darwin, Barry Foote, Mike Hubbard, Sergio Mitre, Eduardo Sanchez.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.